Fan Fiction Friday: The Era Without A Hero – Part 9

“Hurry,” Aldwin said, turning and limping onward.

He and Osmond burst out onto a wide street. Remains of an overturned cart were scattered about as the fires were beginning to spread into the area. A small well was near the center of the clearing, surrounded by a few homes. But what drew their attention was the gargantuan armored skeleton monster, pulling its sword back to strike.

Aldwin mustered all the speed he had and lunged ahead. He reached out with his cane and struck the Stalfos’ blade just away. The monster responded by swinging its heavy shield into Adlwin and sending him flying into a nearby building.

Osmond wasted no time jumping in though and slashed at the bone legs as he ran by. He spun around and slashed across the Stalfos’ chest next, turning a few of its ribs into dust.

The Stalfos screamed and its red eyes flared.

“Are you alright?” Osmond asked over his shoulder.

“The boy is hurt and can’t run,” the young blonde maiden responded.

“Get to cover, we can handle this.”

Osmond sidestepped an attack and swung his blade around, striking the shield. The Stalfos then lowered its shoulder and knocked Osmond backwards. As he fell, the jagged blade swung down towards him. Just before it hit though, Aldwin parried it away as he had before.

Same as before though, the Stalfos turned its next attack on the middle-aged scholar. Osmond raised his own sword though and together they knocked the Stalfos backwards.

“Their head is the weak point,” Aldwin said, breathing heavy. “If you can keep that sword and shield busy, I can poke at the head with my cane until it falls away.”

“Right.”

The Stalfos raised its shield as Osmond stepped up towards it. Osmond attacked, striking the shield. He had to react quickly though, dodging to one side as the Stalfos swung its sword down at him with vicious speed. When it pulled the sword back up for an attempted second strike though, Osmond saw his opening.

He kicked the monster’s shield, then dove to its sword side. With precision speed, he drove his blade into its ribs and struck the spine.

A horrible screech went out from the creature’s mouth, and its eyes burst with red light. Then they were extinguished as Aldwin’s cane slammed down on it.

The Stalfos dropped its weapon and shield, then fell to its knees, before dissolving into a fine black mist.

“Good work,” Aldwin smiled.

The maiden and boy emerged from behind the small well. As soon as they did though, Osmond and Aldwin dropped to their knees, realizing who they had saved.

“You’re Grace!”

The princess was covered in dirt and soot from all the fires and was hardly recognizable at first. But in the light, and without a Stalfos attacking them, her features revealed themselves.

“We must get you to the castle with your family, your Grace,” Aldwin said.

“No,” Zelda shook her head, “I want to fight and defend my home. I will not run and hide as my mother and father have done.”

Osmond looked at Aldwin, hoping for some sort of clarity.

“Your Grace, we were ordered by Lord Kalia to help in the search to find you and help get you back to the castle. The knights and soldiers can take care of this mess.”

“The knights and soldiers that were trained by the sleepy and out of shape superiors that know nothing of combat. I was trained by Lady Impa, the only member of the Royal Staff to have seen actual combat! It is my duty to-“

A cacophony of screeches rose up around them.

Osmond frantically looked around as the boy clung to him tighter.

“Aldwin?”

“Go, quickly! We must get to the castle!”

Osmond lifted the boy up as Aldwin and Zelda began to run ahead. Just as they exited the small clearing though, three monsters stood in their way.

Each of these dark entities were covered in heavy black armor and wielded a massive sword that matched. Two horns wrapped their way out from the sides of each helmet. Their faces were shielded as well, save for the small eyelets where vile yellow eyes stared out from.

Aldwin, Zelda, and Osmond began to move back toward the square. As soon as they turned around though, half a dozen more Stalfos had gathered near the wrecked cart.

“Osmond, you take the boy and the princess and run back the way we came. Do not stop. Do you understand?”

“What about-”

“Do as I say.”

“Aldwin…”

“Go!”

Aldwin charged forward at the Stalfos. He struck away one blade before cracking his fist into one of their heads. As the next sword came towards him, he ducked down and slammed his cane into the legs of another.

Osmond took the princess by the wrist and began to move towards the alleyway that was open and that they had come through earlier. However, as he began to move, she resisted. He turned to make sure she was alright.

“What are you doing?”

“I have a duty to defend this kingdom!” She pulled the bow off her shoulder and quickly readied an arrow.

“Come on!” Osmond urged, watching the three Darknuts approaching.

Zelda fired an arrow into the mass of Stalfos and struck one in the shield. She cursed and readied another arrow. Again, it fell harmlessly off of one of their shields.

“Princess, we have to go now!”

She glared at him and drew another arrow.

“What are you doing? Run!” Aldwin yelled.

“Your Grace!”

“You have to-“ Aldwin’s voice was cut short suddenly.

Osmond felt like time stopped as he slowly turned his head and watched as the jagged sword burst out the back of his mentor. A flow of crimson rushed down Aldwin’s back as the color faded from his face. His body began to drop as the Stalfos withdrew its sword and the blades of two other monsters tore into his flesh. His eyes stared emptily back at Osmond, the princess, and the boy.

Osmond let go of the princess’s hand and set the boy down.

The mob of Stalfos began marching forward, stomping on Aldwin’s corpse as they advanced. A muffled scream was shouting Osmond’s name, but nothing could take his eyes off the horror that had befallen his mentor… his friend.

“Osmond!”

Huron’s booming voice broke through the haze just in time to draw Osmond’s eyes over his shoulder. One of the Darknut’s had its behemoth blade raised up over its head and was beginning to bring it down on the princess.

Only instinct kicked in. A flash of metal as Osmond raised his blade up and deflected the attack. The monster’s blade knocked the sword from Osmond’s grip.

He was defenseless.

The princess stumbled backwards and pulled the boy from harm’s way.

Osmond then felt the armored back hand of the Darknut swing upward and into him. A loud snapping sound followed by a cool sensation of air blowing all around him.

When he landed on the ground, mere feet from the princess and the boy, he reached his hand outward weakly. His vision blurred and head ringing relentlessly, he wasn’t certain of what came next.

Huron landed between the princess and the Darknut’s, swinging a mighty hammer. Fado leapt off the Goron’s shoulders and urged the Princess and the boy over towards Osmond. A Zora then dashed over and laid her hands on Osmond.

“By the love and grace of Nayru, I bless thee…”

One last image of a great bird in the sky, beaming with holy light and chasing away the demons played out in the air above.

Then darkness set in.

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The Era Without A Hero will return in a few weeks…

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David Wayne Nystrom is a Staff Writer for Zelda Dungeon. This story is an imagining of the final days in Hyrule prior to the Great Flood talked about in the opening cinematic of The Wind Waker. His top three Zelda games are Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, and Link’s Awakening. This story is also available in audio form, thanks to an ongoing podcast. To find it and learn more about the project, head to erawithoutahero.wordpress.com or follow him on Twitter. Every Era Has Heroes…